Change-speed friction drive



Sept 9 1930, R. s. JACOBSEN CHANGE SPEED FRICTION DRIVE Filed March 19, 1925 2 Shuts- 51m 1 LrLm p 9, 1930. R. s. JACOBSE CHANGE SPEED FRICTION DRIVE Filed March 19,, 1925 2 Shuts sheei 2 Jim/10W fiwfwdfid awma accompanying drawings, in which:

Patented Sept. 9, 1930 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE I Brennan 5. 003m, orwm'ron, rumors, n'ssroxon, BY nmncr um um:

nssmmnmrs, r0 J. r. s. comm,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, L.COBPO BA'1'ION- monsrnnn rmc'rron Dam Application filed Karol: 19, Serial I0. 16,554.

This invention relates to variable speed driving mechanism, and more mechanism of this kind havmg frictional means for transmitting the power, and for 5 changing the speed thereof.

Generally'stated, the object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved construction and arrangement whereby friction driving means, of a novel form, as for example one or more spheres or spherical elementshaving frictional contact with other elements, is employed to change the speed at will.

Another object is to provide a friction drive mechanism of the above described character, having means whereby the drive may be reversed at will.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features of construction and combinations tending to increase the general efficiency and desirability of a friction driving mechanism of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and claimed and shown in the Fig. 1 is a lon itudinal section of a friction drive variab e speed gear involving the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail showing one of the s herical friction elements adjusted into position to reverse the drive;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the outer casing of said mechamsm;

Fig. 4.- is a transverse section on line 44 in Fig. 1.

, Asthus illustrated, the invention oompri'ses a motor 1, of-any suitable character, having its shaft 2 provided with a. friction drive pinion 3, of any suitable character, but preferably beveled as shown. The casing or housing 4 provides a bearing 5 in which the short shaft 6 is mounted to rotate, this shaft being provided inside of the housing with a relatively large friction bevel gear 7, as

shown. Ball bearings 8 and 9 are preferably provided at the points indicatcd to sustain the endwise' thrust, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

particularlytoi is transmitted from this The motor drives the. pinion 3, and power pinion through the balls or spherical elements 10 to the ar 7 previously mentioned. As shown in 1 the pinion 3 will revolve the balls 10 on t eii creased.

The axes 12 are provided by rock shafts having their middle portions formed with bearings 13 for the axes 11, preferably through the medium of ball bearings 14, so

that the parts will all rotate freely and without unnecessary friction. The rock shafts forming the axes 12 have their ends mounted in bearing members 15, which latter are held in place by bolts 16, and are slidable on the guides 17, with coil springs 18 applied in a manner to yieldingly force the balls or spheres 10 against the beveled peripheries of the friction pinion 3 and friction gear 7, previously mentioned. The bolts 16 can be tightened to vary accordance with the load on the drivlng gear, or in accordance with other circumstances or conditions, it being observed that the bolts extend through the bearing members 15 and into brackets 19 fixed on the inner surface of the casing, the springs 18 being inter osed between these brackets and their a1 otted' bearing members.

Bevel gears 20 are employed to connect the axis members 12 together, at their ends, and an outside crank arm 21 is applied to the'projecting end portion 22 of one of said axis members 12, whereby adjustment of this crank or hand lever serves to rotate all of the balls or spheres 10 in unison, about their transverse axes 12, thereby to change or vary the speed of the drive.

Furthermore, and by rotation of the handle 21 to the proper extent, the balls or spheres the tension of said springs, in

'1 can be made to assume the position shown in Fig. 2; so that their arms 11 will extend sradially of the shaft 12, instead of parallel therew th, thereby reversing the drive. 5 Thereforej'these bolts or spheres 1O constitute not only a variable friction drive between the pinion 3 and the gear 7, but tute a reversing friction drive. Inthis way, therefore, and merely by adjusting the handle or crank arm'21, the speed of the shaft 6 can be changed or varied, or may be reversed at will.

The casing or housing 4 can be held in position in any desired or suitable manner, as by bolts 23 inserted through the motor and into the internal flange 24 of said casing or hous-' ing, or by any other suitable means.

It will be seen that the fnember 7 provides a beveled raceway for the balls or rolling members 10, and that the member 3 provides asimilar raceway, of smaller diameter, the two raceways being concentric and disposed" in the same plane, 5" right angles to the axis of rotation of the motor 1 or the shafts'2 and 6 of said structure. Thus the members 3 and 7 are beveled on the .s'ame'side, or-on-the side toward the motor 1,

,and toward one and the same end of the axis so .of rotation of the motor and change speed friction gear mechanism.

Without disclaiming anything, and without prejudice to any novelty shown and described, what I claim as my invention is:

1. Ina change speed friction drive ower transmission mechanism, the combinatlon of an annular raceway, a smaller annular raceway, rolling friction members interposed between said raceways having a variable contact thereon, means orming an axis common to and for sup orting said raceways concentrically and su bstantially in the same plane and for relative rotation about said axis and including an input shaft held against axial displacement and rotatable about said axis an connected to and rotating said smaller raceway to communicate'frower to said mechanism and an out ut sha held against axial dis lacement an rotatable about said axis,

an connected to said first annular raceway and rotated thereby, while said members are rotating about their individual axes to transmit power at a variable speed from said mechanism spring means exerting pressure in a direction parallel with the axis of said means, to insure pressure contact between saidmembers and raceways, said members forming a medium of power transmission from said 1nput shaft to said out ut shaft, and means to relatively control sa1d raceways and rolling members by which the racewa change the speed .of transmission.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, operable for controlling said rolling members in also constie verse the drive.

this plane extending at ahmftnner to change the speed of the output s a 3. A structure as specified in claim 1, 0 erable for controlling said rolling mem ers into position to reverse the drive. v

4. A structure as s ecified in claim 1, there being a plurality o said friction members disposed at intervals around the peripheries of saidraceways, and said mechanism being operable for simultaneously controlling sai members in a manner to change the speed of the output shaft, and operative also to re- 5. A structure as s ecified in claim 1, there being a plurality 0 said friction members disposed at intervals around the peripheries of said raceways, and said mechanism .being operable for simultaneously controlling said members in a manner to change the speed of the output shaft and operative also to reverse the drive, said spring means serving to yield- -ingly force said friction members against the raceways.

6. A structure as specified in claim 1, said raceways being both beveled on the side there-- of toward said controllin means.

7 A structure as speci ed in claim 1, including means to space a art and position said individual axes para el'with sa1d common axis.

Specification, signed this tenth day of March, 1925.

RICHARD S. JACOBSEN.

Ill

contact on 1 each member is under contro, thereby to 

